Attachment for rockers



y 29, 1941- A. w. LEHMAN, JR 2,251,141

ATTACHMENT FOR ROCKERS Filed oct. 51, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Elbert WZe/zzrzczm ATTORNEY 5 July 29, 1941. w L M JR 2,251,141

ATTACHMENT FOR ROCKERS Filed Oct. 31, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented July 29, 1941 ATTACHMENT FOR ROCKERS albertvw. Lehman, Jr., Cannelton, Ind., assignor to The Lehman Company of America, Inc., Cannelton, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application October 31, 1938, Serial No. 237,849

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to an attachment for rockers and more particularly childrens rocking chairs, small cradles that are equipped with rockers and the like.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an attachment which is adapted to operate a musical device or other instrumentality which is aiiixed to the rocking chair or cradle.

The particular advantage of such adevice is that it aifords entertainment for the child and may be operated by a child too young to operate a more involved mechanical device. I

A further object of the device is to provide an instrumentality which ceases operation upon cessation of the rocking of the chair or cradle.

Further and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent upon reading the following description and by reference to the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that the claims are not to be construed as unnecessarily limited by the specification and drawings, it being the intention to cover the invention as applied to different instrumentalities and employing various mechanical means.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. '1 is a view in side elevation of a rockin chair with the device attached thereto;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view as taken on the line H of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view showing a modified arrangement oi the device;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; i

Fig. 6 shows a still further modification of the device; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Fig, 6.

As shown in the drawings there is attached to the rocking chair or other instrumentality having rockers which is indicated by the reference character II, a mechanism I! which is adapted to produce music or musical sounds or the like. The mechanism 12 is of the type which is commonly on the market and consists generally of a series of gears, a ratchet and a cylinder indicated by the reference character It. The cylinder I3 is provided with perforations or'promember H actuates the mechanism l2 and causes it to produce musical sounds. Since such devices are well known and are of various forms further l description thereof is not believed to be necesjections depending upon the type of mechanism.

sary.

The device I! as is shown in the drawings is attached to the bottom of a rocking chair or may be attached to a cradle or other instrumentality employing rockers.

Pivotally attached to the arm member II is a link l5 which has attached to its lower end at IS a rod H. The rod i1 is slida-blymounted in the eyes 18 and IS. The eyes may be merely screw eyes which are screwed into the leg and rocker of the chair or like member. At the bottom of the rod I9 is a cap or button 20 that engages the floor.

A spring 2| is secured to the arm It at one end and to the chair II at the other end'so as to swing the arm member H in the direction opposite to that which the arm member is swung upon actuation by the link l5 and the rod II.

In the operation of the device, as the chair rocks rod 11 slides up and down in the eyes II and 19 as indicated by the arrow and dotted lines. Such movement of the rod l'l causes the'link ii to swing the arm member in the direction indicated by the curved arrow shown in dotted lines. As the rocker moves in the opposite direction the spring 2| pulls the member H forward thereby actuating the sound reproducing mechanism and causing the link 15 to push the rod II in a downward movement. v

In the modified form of the device shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the sound reproducing mechanism, indicated by the reference character II, is mounted on the leg 22 of the chair and the pivotally mounted arm member 23 of the sound reproducing mechanism is driven through means a of a rod 24 which rod 24 passes through an opening 25 in the rocker 28. The opening 25 is so shaped that it will receive not only the rod 24 but also the cap or button 11 which engages the floor. A spring 28, connected to the pivoted arm 23, is provided to cause the arm 23 to force the rod 24 downwardly and into engagement with the floor and to actuate the sound reproducing means.

In the form 01 the device shown in Fig. 6. the sound reproducing mechanism is mounted in a housing or casing, indicated by the reference character 29. The casing 28 is secured directly to the rocker 30. The pivoted arm II has attached to it a short rod member I! which passes through an opening in the casing 2! and an opening 33 in the rocker.

A spring 34 connects the pivoted arm member II to the sound reproducing mechanism so as to force the rod 32 downwardly into engagement with the floor and to actuate said sound reproducing means.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that repeated rocking operations will operate the mechanism and cause it to produce musical sounds or the like.

These devices have been found particularly desirable and useful on children's furniture because they require no supervision by the parent. they are so simple that a very small child can operate them, and they do not get out of order. Furthermore, a child may play with the chair or other instrumentallty that has rockers, such as a cradle, and amuse itself alone for such time as it pleases. Ordinarily, devices of this character are operated by springs which are easily broken and in the case of very small children generally have to be operated by an older person which makes them not readily available to the small child at its will,

I claim:

1. In a structure having a rocking member mounted therebeneath and supporting said structure for rocking movement, sound reproducing means mounted on said structure above said rocker and having an actuating arm in connection therewith for operating said sound reproducing means upon movement thereof, an opening in said rocker member, an actuating rod attached to said actuating arm and extending through said opening and below said rocker member when in inoperative position, said rod being reciprocable within and without of said opening upon a rocking movement of said rocker member through contact of said rod with the floor, the reciprocable movement of said rod actuating said arm, and means for returning said rod to inoperative position.

2. In a structure having a rocking support therefor, sound reproducing means mounted on said structure above said rocking support and having an actuating arm for operating said means on movement oi said arm, an opening in said rocker support, an actuating rod attached to said actuating arm and reciprocally mounted in said opening for moving said arm, said rod extending outwardly from said opening below said rocker support in inoperative position, the lower end of said rod being wholly receivable within said opening upon a rocking movement of said support through contact with the floor, and means for yieldingly returning said rod to its extended position.

ALBERT W. LEHMAN, JR. 

